Fully customized wound dressing preparation system and method based on near-field direct writing technology

Abstract

The present invention discloses a fully customized wound dressing preparation system and method based on near-field direct writing technology, including a 3D wound scanner, a near-field direct writing unit, a high-voltage generator and a processing unit; the near-field direct writing unit includes a Z-axis lifting module, an electrostatic spinning direct writing needle assembly, a high-definition industrial camera, an XY-axis moving module and a collecting plate; the collecting plate is arranged at the movable end of the XY-axis moving module, the Z-axis lifting module is arranged above the collecting plate, and the electrostatic spinning direct writing needle assembly is arranged at the lifting end of the Z-axis lifting module; the preparation system of the present invention can print out corresponding medical dressings with unique three-dimensional structures according to the shape of the patient's wound, and can select the medicine carried by the dressing according to the degree of recovery of the wound, thereby realizing fully customized dressing manufacturing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical dressings, and in particular to a fully customized wound dressing preparation system and method based on near-field direct writing technology. Background Art

[0002] As the largest organ in the human body, the skin effectively prevents the loss of water, electrolytes, and plasma proteins, resists bacterial invasion, prevents the entry of toxins, resists mechanical damage, protects against ultraviolet radiation, and maintains physiological functions such as secretion, excretion, and temperature regulation. Therefore, the skin plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis and preventing microbial invasion. When the skin is damaged and a wound forms, topical dressings are often required to assist in wound recovery in order to quickly stop bleeding, accelerate tissue formation, and reduce scarring.

[0003] Dressings are wound dressings, medical materials used to cover sores, wounds, or other lesions. Wound dressings have long been a key branch of biomedical materials research. Common abrasions and post-surgical incisions are the most common skin injuries. Dynamic and diverse joints, such as the elbows, fingers, and wrists, are particularly prone to these injuries, placing even stricter demands on the dressing's shape, structure, and functionality. Different wound locations, wound sizes, recovery stages, and wound conditions all necessitate different dressings. However, existing traditional dressings on the market, such as gauze, powders, sprays, ointments, and creams, as well as higher-performance, high-end dressings like film dressings, hydrogels, hydrocolloids, and alginate dressings, all have relatively fixed dosage forms and drug types, resulting in limited universal applicability. This makes it difficult to customize wound dressings with the appropriate shape and drug content to suit the patient's wound condition, limiting their widespread application.

[0004] At present, relevant scientific researchers have developed customized artificial skin or medical dressings and their preparation methods. Patent CN201810463765.7 proposes a bio-3D printed fully customized skin and its preparation method. It can reconstruct specific parts according to three-dimensional modeling and use bio-3D printing technology to customize the preparation of skin with different three-dimensional structures. However, the fibers obtained by this technology are relatively thick, which is not conducive to cell attachment and proliferation, and cannot carry drugs. The preparation process is cumbersome and the preparation cycle is long. Patent CN201710040354.2 proposes a 3D printed bioscaffold with drug release function and its preparation method. Although drug loading is achieved, the fiber diameter obtained by this method is relatively large, reaching the millimeter level, which is not conducive to the close fit of the dressing to the skin and reduces the penetration and absorption of drugs.

[0005] To this end, some researchers are currently using electrospinning technology in the manufacture of customized dressings. For example, patent CN202111037437.9 proposes a multi-layer functional wound dressing prepared using portable electrospinning technology. The in situ drug delivery to the wound is achieved through the designed portable static spinning device. However, the nanofibers prepared by this method are disordered and have poor mechanical properties, and cannot form a controllable and effective three-dimensional structure. Patent CN202110023457.4 proposes a method for preparing a customizable, functional dressing, which is characterized by superimposing a 3D printed scaffold on a nanofiber membrane prepared by electrospinning. Although this method effectively improves the mechanical properties of the dressing, the resulting fiber diameter is still too large, which is not conducive to drug loading and cell attachment and growth. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a fully customized wound dressing preparation system and method based on near-field direct writing technology to solve one or more technical problems existing in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0007] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0008] A fully customized wound dressing preparation system based on near-field direct writing technology, including a 3D wound scanner, a near-field direct writing unit, a high-voltage generator, and a processing unit;

[0009] The near-field direct writing unit includes a Z-axis lifting module, an electrostatic spinning direct writing needle assembly, a high-definition industrial camera, an XY-axis moving module and a collecting plate; the collecting plate is arranged at the movable end of the XY-axis moving module, the Z-axis lifting module is arranged above the collecting plate, the electrostatic spinning direct writing needle assembly is arranged at the lifting end of the Z-axis lifting module, the high-definition industrial camera is arranged on one side of the collecting plate, and the surface of the collecting plate is provided with an ITO conductive glass film;

[0010] The positive electrode of the high voltage generator is electrically connected to the collecting plate, and the negative electrode of the high voltage generator is electrically connected to the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly;

[0011] The 3D wound scanner is used to scan the wound site to obtain three-dimensional data of the wound location;

[0012] The processing unit calculates and reconstructs a three-dimensional model of the wound based on the data collected by the 3D wound scanner, draws the printing path of the dressing, and converts it into control code for the XY-axis moving module. During the initial linear motion stage of the jet, the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly is controlled to print a dressing of corresponding shape on the collection plate.

[0013] Preferably, the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly includes a barrel, an infusion needle and an electric heating wire. The infusion needle is connected to the bottom of the barrel, an air source interface is provided at the top of the barrel, and the electric heating wire is wound around the side wall of the barrel. The barrel is used to store dressing spinning raw materials.

[0014] Preferably, the distance between the bottom end of the infusion needle and the collecting plate is no more than 5 mm.

[0015] The present invention also proposes a method for preparing a fully customized wound dressing preparation system using near-field direct writing technology, the method comprising the following steps:

[0016] (1) Scanning the wound site with a 3D wound scanner and transmitting the scanned data to a processing unit;

[0017] (2) The processing unit calculates and reconstructs a three-dimensional model of the wound based on the data collected by the 3D wound scanner, and draws a printing path for the dressing;

[0018] (3) converting the printing path of the dressing obtained in step (2) into a control code for the XY axis moving module;

[0019] (4) Select the dressing spinning raw materials according to the wound recovery stage and add them to the barrel; set the operating parameters of the near-field direct writing unit;

[0020] (5) Connect the gas source to the upper end interface of the barrel to ensure that the solution in the barrel can be supplied continuously, stably and controllably; connect the positive and negative electrodes of the high-voltage generator to the collecting plate and the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly, respectively, to form a high-voltage electrostatic field between the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly and the collecting plate, and start printing;

[0021] (6) When the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly is in the initial linear motion stage of the jet during the electrospinning jetting process, the XY axis moving module is controlled to move according to the control code of step (3), so that the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly prints a dressing of a corresponding shape on the collecting plate.

[0022] Preferably, in step (4), when the dressing spinning raw material added to the barrel is a solid raw material, the barrel is heated to transform the dressing spinning raw material from a solid state to a molten liquid state.

[0023] Preferably, the dressing spinning raw material includes a base material and a drug, and the base material is polylactic acid or polycaprolactone or polyethylene oxide or polyvinyl alcohol.

[0024] Preferably, in step (4), the operating parameters include the number of printing layers, speed setting, voltage setting, and collection distance.

[0025] Preferably, in step (1), the wound data collected includes the range, location, and depth of the wound.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention include: the system can print a medical dressing with a unique three-dimensional structure tailored to the patient's wound shape, and can select the drug to be carried by the dressing based on the wound's recovery stage, enabling fully customized dressing production. The fiber diameters of the dressings printed by this system range from a few microns to several hundred microns. Finer fiber diameters provide more sites for drug attachment, improving drug loading efficiency. Micron-sized fibers allow for a better fit between the dressing and the skin, facilitating drug delivery, enhancing absorption efficiency, and drug utilization. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The accompanying drawings further illustrate the present invention, but the contents in the accompanying drawings do not constitute any limitation to the present invention.

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a dressing preparation system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of an on-site direct writing unit according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of an electrospinning direct writing needle assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of a Z-axis lifting module according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific implementation methods.

[0033] This embodiment is a fully customized wound dressing preparation system based on near-field direct writing technology, see the attached Figure 1 , including a 3D wound scanner 1, a near-field direct writing unit 4, a high-voltage generator 3 and a processing unit 2;

[0034] Reference Attachment Figure 2 The near-field direct writing unit includes a Z-axis lifting module 5, an electrostatic spinning direct writing needle assembly 6, a high-definition industrial camera 7, an XY-axis moving module 8 and a collecting plate 9; the collecting plate 9 is arranged at the movable end of the XY-axis moving module 8, the Z-axis lifting module 5 is arranged above the collecting plate 9, the electrostatic spinning direct writing needle assembly 6 is arranged at the lifting end of the Z-axis lifting module 5, the high-definition industrial camera 7 is arranged on one side of the collecting plate 9, and the surface of the collecting plate 9 is provided with an ITO conductive glass film;

[0035] The positive electrode of the high voltage generator 3 is electrically connected to the collecting plate 9, and the negative electrode of the high voltage generator 3 is electrically connected to the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly 6;

[0036] The 3D wound scanner is used to scan the wound site to obtain three-dimensional data of the wound location;

[0037] The processing unit calculates and reconstructs a three-dimensional model of the wound based on the data collected by the 3D wound scanner, draws the printing path of the dressing, and converts it into control code for the XY-axis moving module. During the initial linear motion stage of the jet, the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly is controlled to print a dressing of corresponding shape on the collection plate.

[0038] The process for using this embodiment is as follows: First, a 3D wound scanner scans the patient's wound area to obtain the required three-dimensional data. This data is then transmitted to a processing unit, where software calculates and reconstructs a three-dimensional model of the wound. This data is then converted into control code for a motion platform, which controls the direct-write unit to print a dressing of the corresponding shape. This allows for the printing of a medical dressing with a unique three-dimensional structure tailored to the patient's wound shape. The appropriate medication can be selected based on the wound's recovery stage, enabling fully customized dressing manufacturing.

[0039] The electrospinning near-field direct writing unit used in this embodiment is used to print the dressing. The fiber diameter of the printed dressing ranges from a few microns to several hundred microns. The finer fiber diameter can provide more sites for drug attachment, thereby improving drug loading efficiency. The micron-level fibers achieve further adhesion between the dressing and the skin, which is beneficial to drug delivery, improving absorption efficiency and drug utilization. Compared with common 3D-printed customized dressings or millimeter-level fibers on the skin, it can effectively promote cell attachment and growth.

[0040] Preferably, refer to the attached Figure 3 The electrospinning direct writing needle assembly includes a barrel 10, an infusion needle 12 and an electric heating wire 11. The infusion needle 12 is connected to the bottom of the barrel 10. The top of the barrel 10 is provided with an air source interface. The electric heating wire 11 is wound around the side wall of the barrel 10. The barrel 10 is used to store the dressing spinning raw material. The barrel 10 is connected to the air source through the air source interface, and the solution in the barrel is squeezed by air pressure so that a continuous, stable and controllable liquid supply can be achieved during spinning; when the dressing spinning raw material is a solid particle, the electric heating wire 11 is used to melt the solid raw material, so that the raw material is converted from a solid state to a molten liquid state, in preparation for the subsequent melt electrospinning near-field direct writing. As one of the embodiments, when the dressing spinning raw material is PCL polycaprolactone particles, the heating temperature of the electric heating wire 11 is set to 110-125°C to meet the temperature requirements of melt electrospinning near-field direct writing.

[0041] Preferably, refer to the attached Figure 4The Z-axis lifting module 5 includes a drive motor 13, a slide rail 14, a slider 15, an L-shaped metal sensor bar 18, an upper stroke sensor switch 16 and a lower stroke sensor switch 17. The L-shaped metal sensor bar 18 is fixed to one side of the slider 15. When working, the drive motor 13 drives the lead screw to rotate and drive the slider 15. The slider 15 moves downward along the slide rail 14. When the lower stroke sensor switch 17 senses the L-shaped metal sensor bar 18, the lower stroke sensor switch 17 turns off the drive motor 13; when not working, the drive motor 13 drives the lead screw to rotate in the opposite direction, and the lead screw drives the slider. The slider 15 moves upward along the slide rail 14. When the upper stroke sensor switch 16 senses the L-shaped metal sensor bar 18, the upper stroke sensor switch 16 turns off the drive motor 13.

[0042] Preferably, the distance between the bottom end of the infusion needle and the collecting plate is no more than 5 mm, thereby ensuring that the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly can directly write orderly and controllable fibers on the collecting plate in the near field.

[0043] This embodiment also proposes a method for preparing a fully customized wound dressing preparation system using near-field direct writing technology, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

[0044] (1) Scanning the wound site with a 3D wound scanner and transmitting the scanned data to a processing unit;

[0045] (2) The processing unit calculates and reconstructs a three-dimensional model of the wound based on the data collected by the 3D wound scanner, and draws a printing path for the dressing;

[0046] (3) converting the printing path of the dressing obtained in step (2) into a control code for the XY axis moving module;

[0047] (4) Select the dressing spinning raw materials according to the wound recovery stage and add them to the barrel; set the operating parameters of the near-field direct writing unit;

[0048] (5) Connect the gas source to the upper end interface of the barrel to ensure that the solution in the barrel can be supplied continuously, stably and controllably; connect the positive and negative electrodes of the high-voltage generator to the collecting plate and the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly, respectively, to form a high-voltage electrostatic field between the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly and the collecting plate, and start printing;

[0049] (6) When the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly is in the initial linear motion stage of the jet during the electrospinning jetting process, the XY axis moving module is controlled to move according to the control code of step (3), so that the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly prints a dressing of a corresponding shape on the collecting plate.

[0050] Under the air pressure provided by the air source and the action of the high-voltage generator, a high-voltage electrostatic field is formed between the infusion needle and the collection plate of the near-field direct writing system. The high-voltage electrostatic field can pull the molten dressing spinning raw materials in the barrel to the collection plate, and the bracket is printed under the XY direction movement of the collection plate with an ITO conductive glass film on the surface. After the near-field direct writing unit completes printing according to the pre-imported printing path and the number of layers set on the interface, the formed dressing can be removed from the ITO conductive glass.

[0051] Thus, by precisely and continuously jetting the melt of the dressing's spinning material to the outside world, a fiber mesh with a specific fiber trajectory is produced. By adjusting process parameters to overcome the hysteresis effect caused by the angle of the fiber scaffold, 3D structural scaffold printing can be achieved. The fiber scaffolds printed by this method exhibit excellent mechanical properties and a strong cell orientation-inducing effect, similar to that of natural tissue, indicating that the dressing has great application prospects for tissue repair.

[0052] Preferably, in step (4), when the dressing spinning raw material added to the barrel is a solid raw material, the barrel is heated to transform the dressing spinning raw material from a solid state to a molten liquid state.

[0053] Preferably, the dressing spinning raw material includes a substrate and a drug, and the substrate is polylactic acid or polycaprolactone or polyethylene oxide or polyvinyl alcohol. Therefore, the dressing printing material used is a combination of a substrate and a drug, wherein the substrate is selected from biocompatible and biodegradable materials such as PLA polylactic acid, PCL polycaprolactone, PEO polyethylene oxide, PVA polyvinyl alcohol, etc., which can be decomposed and absorbed by the human body, avoiding the risk of secondary trauma. The drug can be selected according to the current recovery stage of the wound, solving the problem that the existing technology is difficult to customize the wound dressing with the corresponding shape and drug according to the patient's wound condition.

[0054] Preferably, in step (4), the operating parameters include the number of printing layers, speed setting, voltage setting, and collection distance.

[0055] Preferably, in step (1), the wound data collected includes the range, location, and depth of the wound. Thus, by obtaining the wound data, the patient's wound can be scanned and reconstructed, and micro-nano wound dressings with corresponding three-dimensional structures and corresponding drugs can be customized for different wound sizes, shapes, and recovery stages, thereby improving the dressing's applicability and mechanical properties, and promoting drug absorption. In addition, the micro-nano-level fibers are closer to the scale of the cytoplasmic matrix, which is conducive to cell attachment and proliferation.

[0056] The technical principles of the present invention have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. These descriptions are intended solely to illustrate the principles of the present invention and are not to be construed in any way as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Based on the explanations herein, those skilled in the art will readily conceive of other specific embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort, and such embodiments will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a fully customized wound dressing preparation system based on near-field direct writing technology, characterized in that: It includes a 3D wound scanner, a near-field direct writing unit, a high-voltage generator, and a processing unit; The near-field direct writing unit includes a Z-axis lifting module, an electrospinning direct writing needle assembly, a high-definition industrial camera, an XY-axis moving module and a collecting plate; The collecting plate is arranged at the movable end of the XY-axis moving module, the Z-axis lifting module is arranged above the collecting plate, the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly is arranged at the lifting end of the Z-axis lifting module, the high-definition industrial camera is arranged on one side of the collecting plate, and an ITO conductive glass film is arranged on the surface of the collecting plate; The positive electrode of the high voltage generator is electrically connected to the collecting plate, and the negative electrode of the high voltage generator is electrically connected to the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly; The 3D wound scanner is used to scan the wound site to obtain three-dimensional data of the wound location; The processing unit calculates and reconstructs a three-dimensional model of the wound based on the data collected by the 3D wound scanner, draws a printing path for the dressing, and converts the data into control code for the XY axis movement module. During the initial linear motion phase of the jet, the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly is controlled to print a dressing of a corresponding shape on the collection plate. The electrospinning direct writing needle assembly includes a barrel, an infusion needle and an electric heating wire. The infusion needle is connected to the bottom of the barrel, the top of the barrel is provided with an air source interface, and the electric heating wire is wound around the side wall of the barrel. The barrel is used to store dressing spinning raw materials. The distance between the bottom end of the infusion needle and the collecting plate is not greater than 5 mm; The method comprises the following steps: (1) Scanning the wound site with a 3D wound scanner and transmitting the scanned data to a processing unit; (2) The processing unit calculates and reconstructs a three-dimensional model of the wound based on the data collected by the 3D wound scanner, and draws a printing path for the dressing; (3) converting the printing path of the dressing obtained in step (2) into a control code for the XY axis moving module; (4) Select the dressing spinning raw materials according to the wound recovery stage and add them to the barrel; set the operating parameters of the near-field direct writing unit; (5) Connect the gas source to the upper end interface of the barrel to ensure that the solution in the barrel can be supplied continuously, stably and controllably; connect the positive and negative electrodes of the high-voltage generator to the collecting plate and the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly, respectively, to form a high-voltage electrostatic field between the output end of the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly and the collecting plate, and start printing; (6) When the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly is in the initial linear motion stage of the jet during the electrospinning jetting process, the XY axis moving module is controlled to move according to the control code of step (3), so that the electrospinning direct writing needle assembly prints a dressing of a corresponding shape on the collecting plate.

2. The method for preparing a fully customized wound dressing preparation system based on near-field direct writing technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (4), when the dressing spinning raw material added to the barrel is a solid raw material, the barrel is heated to transform the dressing spinning raw material from a solid state to a molten liquid state.

3. The method for preparing a fully customized wound dressing preparation system based on near-field direct writing technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dressing spinning raw materials include a base material and a drug, and the base material is polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polyethylene oxide, or polyvinyl alcohol.

4. The method for preparing a fully customized wound dressing preparation system based on near-field direct writing technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (4), the operating parameters include the number of printing layers, speed setting, voltage setting, and collection distance.

5. The method for preparing a fully customized wound dressing preparation system based on near-field direct writing technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (1), the wound data collected includes the range, location, and depth of the wound.

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